


Cold Halls

by primalgreen



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Cold Weather, F/F, Healing, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28119420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/primalgreen/pseuds/primalgreen
Summary: Jade gets herself into trouble during the night, and upon sneaking back into the party's quarters in Sniflheim Inn, she realises she might need a bit of help from one of her dear friends.
Relationships: Marutina | Jade/Sena | Serena, Marutina | Jade/Sena | Serena (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Cold Halls

_Click, click, click._

Jade internally growled with frustration as her boots clicked against the hardwood hallway floor; she tried softening her steps, forcing her footfalls to dull into a gentle tap against the wood. This inn had shiny floorboards - something most buildings Jade stayed in had lacked - thus it was more difficult for her to adjust her noise levels.

  
She could barely see her way to her temporary quarters, as the pale light from a Sniflheim dawn had only just begun to filter through the window at the far end of the hallway. The light offered no warmth, and Jade was shivering from the sheer cold of the empty hall.

It had been a long night, and she was eager to return to her bed before her absence was noticed. _Maybe I can get a bit of sleep, too,_ Jade thought, wincing at the pain shooting through her bruised body with every gentle step she took.

Jade quietly fumbled for the cold metal of the door handle and opened the door as gently as she could. As she slowly entered the room, limping slightly from her injuries, Jade could just make out the vague shapes of her teammates fast asleep in the dawn light. 

Jade felt her body relax at the sight of her friends at such peace, and Rab’s familiar snoring from the other side of the room further calmed her. As her adrenaline wore off, however, her pain tolerance began to return to normal, and Jade began to ache more and more as she limped towards her own bed. She sat on the edge of her bed, more harshly than intended, and bit her lip, holding in a cry of burning pain from her lower back.

_God, it’s been a while since I’ve been beat up this bad,_ Jade mused, balling her fists and trying to determine all the separate injuries. Without the adrenaline from her close call numbing her senses, Jade realised she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all, let alone get up as normal in a few hours and pretend she hadn’t been on the brink of losing her life.

Jade’s thoughts threatened to wander to the night’s events - the cause of her injuries - but she screwed her eyes shut and stubbornly willed the thoughts away. _Not now. I need to rest._

Her hands shook from the sheer cold of the room as she leaned down to untie her boots. Jade’s teeth were gritted - it seemed no matter the position she was in, her back would hurt, and the pain was only getting worse with each second. Sliding her feet out of her boots, Jade let out a silent sigh of exasperation. She certainly wasn’t feeling any better by being safe on her bed.

_I need a healer._

Now the sun had risen slightly further, Jade could look around the room and identify her friends in the less dim light. Most of the group had some degree of healing capabilities, but Jade couldn’t ask just anyone to tend to her wounds. She needed to find someone who could heal quite competently, but wouldn’t ask questions about her condition.

Jade glanced briefly at Rab, still snoring loudly on the bed furthest from her. Although he taught Jade how to fight, and had healed her wounds countless times before, he would be furious that she had snuck out at night and gotten herself hurt, and he would surely want to keep a closer eye on her. Frowning, Jade began to scan the room again, certain that asking Rab for assistance would only result in unnecessary stress for the kind elderly man she cared so deeply for.

That leaves one more. Jade’s neck began to ache from searching the room for the group’s second medic.

_Serena._

The simple sight of the Arborian girl, recognisable from her long hair several beds away, seemed to always cause Jade’s breath to catch in her throat. 

Jade knew that Serena had a tendency to fret over the team’s wounds, making sure no one was in pain after even the smallest tussle with an enemy. Additionally, Serena’s healing magic had a unique feel to it; whereas Rab’s mending was energetic and forceful, patching up cuts and scrapes in a refreshing flash, Serena’s slower spells filled Jade with calming light and warmth.

_Warmth._ Jade ran her hands over her aching arms as her teeth began to clatter. _That’s what I need right now._

Grunting with effort, Jade slowly stood from her bed and slipped over towards Serena’s. Stealth was a lot easier without her boots, but the floor was also much colder underfoot, and her limp was worsening from her exhaustion. Jade stood shakily around halfway towards the head of Serena’s bed, and subtly braced her weight on the bed’s side, easing the strain on her injured ankle.

Serena was fast asleep on her side, facing away from Jade. She was curled up in her blankets, her hands held close to her chest. Something about the gentle expression on her face as Serena slept so peacefully caused a wave of calm to wash over Jade. She felt her tense muscles relax further, and her heart began to beat louder and faster.

This was not a new feeling to Jade. She seemed to experience this pleasant sensation often when around Serena; when she smiled, or pointed enthusiastically towards something of interest on the horizon, or simply when her hand brushed Jade’s as they walked side by side. 

_As always,_ Jade assured herself, _it must be a natural bodily reaction to her healing magic. Nothing more._

Guilt began to gnaw at Jade’s stomach. Serena looked so peaceful, and Jade dreaded to be the one to disturb her. Despite her hesitance, however, Jade’s wounds persistently ached with every beat of her heart. Jade was in so much pain; she had no choice but to wake her sleeping friend.

“...Serena?” Jade spoke softly, as to not wake anyone else, especially the feisty Veronica, who slept in the bed just beside Serena’s. 

The girl didn’t stir in the slightest.

“Serena, wake up,” Jade’s strained voice was slightly louder.

No response. Jade briefly recalled a conversation with Erik regarding how heavy of a sleeper Serena was, and frustration twinged at Jade’s mind. 

_I really didn’t want to do this, but…_

Biting her lip, Jade slowly reached her hand towards Serena. The cold and pain piercing Jade’s bones made her hand shake, but she fought to keep it as steady as possible as she hesitantly placed it upon Serena’s shoulder.

_She’s so..._ _warm…_ Jade felt another rush of calm, then shook her head briefly, trying to keep focused.

“Please wake up, Serena…” Jade whispered.

Serena slowly moved to lay on her back, and in the process - much to Jade’s shock - she moved her hands towards Jade’s own. Jade was frozen in place as Serena tightened her grip on Jade’s hand and wrist.

“Mm..” Serena murmured, seemingly still asleep. She began to pull Jade’s trembling hand towards her neck, causing the already unstable Jade to almost fall flat onto the bed. Jade balanced herself just in time, breathing sharply through her nose as panic rose in her chest.

_What is she doing?!_ Jade’s thoughts were running rampant as her palm was pressed into Serena’s neck, in such a way that Jade’s hand was cupping Serena’s jaw, leaving her thumb to hover over her cheek.

Amongst the confused and stunned thoughts, some tiny part of Jade’s consciousness determined that Serena’s skin was not only incredibly soft, but very _warm._ Jade’s hand was tingling from its newfound warmth, and Jade could hear her own blood pumping through her ears.

  
  


“S-Serena, I-” Jade stammered, struggling to contain her volume as Serena began tracing her fingers over Jade’s forearm. Each soft touch was like a jolt of electricity, spreading rapidly across Jade and making her shake; not from the cold, but from nerves.

The pain from her injuries was still pulsing with every beat of her heart, but this unexpected turn of events had thrown Jade’s entire thought process completely off track. As she looked over Serena once again, Jade could feel heat trickling across her own face and a pleasant warmth spreading across her cold limbs.

Jade wasn’t sure how to name the fire that roared in her chest as she began gently circling her thumb across Serena’s cheek, but she was sure she could remain like this forever. 

However much her heart seemed to yearn for this, Jade knew she still desperately needed help, as a fresh wave of exhaustion washed over her and further unsteadied her balance.

“S-Seren-” Jade’s next attempt to rouse Serena was cut short as she began to stir, seemingly waking up properly this time.

_Oh no…_ A rush of panic overtook Jade as she realised the situation Serena would be in as she awoke. _If_ I _woke up with someone’s hand against my face, I’d freak out!_

  
Jade began to slowly remove her hand from Serena’s face, panic rising as Serena’s eyelashes began to flutter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This fic was initially just going to be 1 chapter but I got very stuck with tying up everything at the end, so I'll post the second half soon.   
> I'm just. I'm just gay ok. I love these two so much!!!!


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